MMA Trivia

UFC 90 Weigh In's

2008-10-26T00:58:00.005+01:00

Here are the results for last night's weigh ins

Middleweight champ Anderson Silva (184) vs. Patrick Cote (183)
Thiago Alves (171) vs. Josh Koscheck (170)
Junior dos Santos (234) vs. Fabricio Werdum (256)
Tyson Griffin (155) vs. Sean Sherk (156)
Rich Clementi (156) vs. Gray Maynard (155)
Thales Leites (186) vs. Drew McFedries (186)
Spencer Fisher (155) vs. Shannon Gugerty (156)
Matt Horwich (186) vs. Dan Miller (185)
Marcus Aurelio (156) vs. Hermes Franca (156)
Pete Sell (170) vs. Josh Burkman (171)

Josh Burkman originally weighed in at 173, but was given an hour to cut the extra two pounds and managed it within the time limits.

The event takes place tonight in Illinois.

Fedor versus Arlovski Set For January 24th

2008-10-22T22:07:00.002+01:00

Affliction have announced that the Fedor Emelianenko - Andre Arlovski fight will take place on January 24th.

This move comes after Fedor's manager announced that he will not be fighting on New Years Eve as he usually does. This will leave him with plenty of time to prepare for the fight with Arlovski, which is a fight that fans have been anticipating for a long time.

Also named as participants on the card are Josh Barnett, Matt Lindland, Vitor Belfort, Vladimir Matyushenko, Jay Hieron, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Renato "Babalu" Sobral and Chris Horodecki. No match ups have been mentioned as yet.

Antonio Silva Fails Drug Appeal

2008-10-22T21:37:00.003+01:00

Former Elite XC fighter Antonio Silva has failed his appeal to have his drug suspension overturned.

Silva was suspended after his July 26th fight with Justin Eilers for the vacant Elite XC Heavyweight title. The steriod in question was Boldenone, a steroid developed for vetinary use, primarily used on horses. This is not the first instance of a sports star using the drug, however.

Silva has always maintained his innocence in this matter, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as his suspension was upheld unanimously by the members of the commission.

Silva was banned from fighting for a year from the date of his last fight, and was fined $2,500. He will be allowed to return to fighting in July next year, but as Elite XC no longer exists, he will be looking for a new home.

Elite XC Folds

2008-10-21T14:11:00.003+01:00

As many people have previously predicted, Elite XC and Pro Elite have ceased operations.

This has not been officially confirmed by Elite XC, but has been said in a post on a website by Graciefighter.com. Graciefighter have fighters on their roster who were employed by Elite XC, such as Nick Diaz, so there is some credibility to the rumor.

The company is said to have lost over $55 million since it began in 2006. Elite XC's CBS shows made them no money as the costs and revenues were picked up by CBS.

I will bring you more info on this story as it breaks.

UFC 89 Results and Bonuses

2008-10-20T15:02:00.005+01:00

UFC 89 went off on Saturday without a hitch, and included some very exciting fights.

Here are the results for the card:

Michael Bisping defeated Chris Leben via Unanimous Decision

Keith Jardine defeated Brandon Vera via Split Decision

Luiz Cane defeated Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou via TKO (Strikes) in Round 2

Chris Lytle defeated Paul Taylor via Split Decision

Marcus Davis defeated Paul Kelly via Rear Naked Choke in Round 2

Dan Hardy defeated Akihiro Gono via Split Decision

Shane Carwin defeated Neil Wain via TKO (strikes) in Round 1
David Bielkheden defeated Jess Liaudin via Unanimous Decision
Terry Etim defeated Sam Stout via Unanimous Decision

Jim Miller def. David Baron via Rear Naked Choke in Round 3

Per Eklund def. Sammy Schiavo via Rear Naked Choke in Round 3

Here are the bonuses:

There is some confusion about the Submission of the night bonus, which may have gone to Jim Miller, or may have gone to Marcus Davis. Miller was announced on the official broadcast as gaining the honor, but there have been reports of Davis being awarded it instead. We will clarify this as soon as we can.

The knock out of the night went to Luiz Arthur Cane for his second round TKO of Rameau Thierry Sokodjou.

Fight of the night honors were awarded to Chris Lytle and Paul Taylor, who fought to a split decision in a very exciting slug fest, with Lylte being awarded the win. Both fighters recieved the bonus for this honor.

All bonuses were worth $40,000.

Micheal Bisping Confirmed As TUF 9 Coach

2008-10-18T12:21:00.003+01:00

The Ultimate Fighter 9 is set to be a USA versus England event, and Micheal Bisping has been named as the first coach for the show.

No opponent coach has been named as yet, but rumors are circulating of either Rich Franklin or Dan Henderson. Neither fighter has confirmed this, although Franklin's manager has stated that whilst Rich has not yet been approached, it is something they would consider.

Bisping will take on this role regardless of the outcome of his fight with Chris Leben in Birmingham, England tonight.

UFC 89 Weigh In Results

2008-10-17T19:50:00.002+01:00

UFC 89 takes place tomorrow night in Birmingham, England. Headlining the event is Michael Bisping versus Chris Leben, and there are many exciting fights featuring up and coming British fighters, including the UFC debut of Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy.

Here are the results of the weigh ins

Michael Bisping (185) vs. Chris Leben (186)
Keith Jardine (205) vs. Brandon Vera (203)
Luiz Cane (206) vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (205)
Chris Lytle (170) vs. Paul Taylor (170)
Marcus Davis (169) vs. Paul Kelly (169)
Akihiro Gono (171) vs. Dan Hardy (169)
Shane Carwin (264) vs. Neil Wain (254)
David Bielkheden (156) vs. Jess Liaudin (155)
Terry Etim (155) vs. Sam Stout (155)
David Baron (155) vs. Jim Miller (155)
Sammy Schiavo (156) vs. Per Eklund (156)

Fighting Fedor TV Show

2008-10-17T19:46:00.005+01:00

M-1 Global and Affliction have announced plans for a TV show, Fighting Fedor.

The show will work in a similar fashion to The Ultimate Fighter, with fighters training and fighting to win the opportunity to fight Fedor Emelianenko. The fighters will train at the Red Devils gym in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Here are the details that have been released so far:

The show begins filming in June 2009, and 15 episodes will be produced. The series will be taped in St. Petersburg, Russia, which is home to Emelianenko's Red Devil club.
Based on the production schedule, the earliest possible debut date for the series will be June 2009.
Emelianenko will be part of the group that screens potential contestants; their decisions will be based on the "athletic ability... character and marketability" of each fighter, according to today's press release.
The fighters will be recruited from all over the world.
In order to produce the series, Affliction and M-1 have renewed an existing partnership. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Trump, who's had success with his own reality series, "The Apprentice," will be in Russia for portions of the taping.

Koscheck To Fight At UFC 90 And UFN 16

2008-10-17T19:41:00.004+01:00

Josh Koscheck has today announced that he will endeavor to fight at both UFC 90 and UFN 16.

There are a lot of variables which will affect these plans, the main one being whether Koscheck comes out of his fight against Thiago Alves unharmed. In the event of an injury or medical suspension, he will be unable to fight Yoshiyuki Yoshida on December 10th, just 6 weeks later.

Koscheck is serving as a last minute replacement against Thiago Alves next weekend, after Diego Sanchez pulled out of the co main event due to injury.

Helio Gracie Turns 95!

2008-10-15T17:46:00.003+01:00

Just a short note to say congratulations to Helio Gracie who celebrated his 95th birthday on October 1st.

Helio is one of the founders of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and has made a profound impact on the MMA world, by introducing his son Royce to the sport.

To celebrate this historical moment, his sons Royler, Rolker and Rickson prepared a birthday cake for the Master at Gracie Humaita gym, at Rio de Janeiro.

Congratulations Helio!

Carano vs Cyborg In The Works For February

2008-10-15T17:34:00.003+01:00

In an interview with a Brazilian website, Cris "Cyborg" Santos has commented on the possibility of a fight with Gina Carano.

According to Cyborg, Elite XC have offered her a date of February when she would face Carano, although it is unclear whether the title would be on the line.

Here is what Cyborg had to say about the fight:

“I think it’ll be in February, and it’ll be cool. Everybody wanna see this fight, we both fight on the last event and won, and it’ll be great. I’ll keep my Muay Thai like I did in my last fights. I’ll stand with her, and I think she likes it too, so why not? It’ll be a huge fight and someone is going down. They didn’t say if it’s going to be for the belt, but I think it’ll be”.

UFC Trading Card Deal Signed

2008-10-15T17:31:00.003+01:00

UFC President Dana White has announced that the UFC has signed a deal with Topps Trading Cards to produce a series of UFC trading cards.

These cards will feature past and present fighters, and future ones as they emerge onto the scene. Topps are the leading brand in trading cards.

Here is what Dana White had to say:

"We are excited to be working with Topps to showcase our incredible athletes on UFC trading cards. We look forward to having great success with Topps, and to giving UFC fans a product they can collect and trade with other fans of our sport.”

Elite XC Heat Medical Suspensions

2008-10-15T17:26:00.005+01:00

The Florida State Athletic Commission have announced a list of medical suspensions from their "Heat" event on CBS last weekend.

The suspensions are as follows:

James Edson Berto was suspended for 30 days following his TKO loss to Conor Heun.

Murilo “Ninja” Rua was suspended indefinitely by the commission following his knockout loss to Benji Radach. (This means he will need to be cleared by a doctor before he can fight again)

Roy Nelson was suspended for 60 days following his TKO loss to Andrei Arlovski.

Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson was suspended for 30 days after his 14-second TKO loss to Seth Petruzelli.

* Ken Shamrock was not suspended by the commission regardless of his cut, as he didn't actually fight on the card.

A Night Of Combat II Medical Suspensions

2008-10-15T17:03:00.004+01:00

A Night Of Combat II took place on October 10th at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. I am a little late reporting on this event, for which I appologise.

The results for the event are as follows:

Ryan Hass defeated Ian Omalza via Submission (Armbar) in Round 1
Elena Reid defeated Stephanie Palmer via TKO in Round 1
Patrick Gonsalves defeated Shawn David via Submission (Kimura) in Round 2
Jonathan Mix defeated John Halverson via TKO in Round 1
Josh Haynes defeated Sean Salmon via Submission (Achilles Lock) in Round 2
John Alessio defeated Gideon Ray via TKO in Round 1
Mike Pyle defeated Brian Gassaway via Submission (Armbar) in Round 1
Jay Hieron defeated Chris Kennedy via Unanimous Decision

Hector Ramirez defeated Rick Roufus via Unanimous Decision

The following fighters received medical suspensions:

Chris Kennedy suspended until Dec. 11 with no contact until Nov. 26 due to facial lacerations.

Gideon Ray suspended until April 10th due to possible right orbital fracture. If cleared by doctor, suspended until November 26th with no contact until November 11th.

Sean Salmon suspended until Nov. 11 with no contact until Nov. 2 (for precautionary reasons)

Jacob "JJ" Mix suspended until April 10th due to right hand injury. If cleared by a doctor, suspended until November 26th with no contact until November 11th.

Shawn David suspended until Dec. 11 with no contact until Nov. 26 due to a left-cheek laceration.

Stephanie Palmer suspended until April 10th due to possible jaw fractureIf cleared by a doctor, suspended until November 26th with no contact until November 11th.

UPDATE: Ken And Frank Shamrock Date Announced

2008-10-15T16:47:00.003+01:00

As MMATrivia previously reported, Ken and Frank Shamrock have signed a contract to fight each other, although no date or promoter had been announced (see original story here: http://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/10/shamrock-brothers-sign-contract.html)

The brothers are looking at fighting in March or April of next year, according to Frank Shamrock. They are considering Elite XC and Affliction as promoters, under some kind of cross promotion, and want the show to be aired on Pay per View or Primetime.

Here is what Frank had to say on the matter, including some rather derogatory comments about his brother:

"We are definitely going to see it happen; it’s a done deal. I’ve just got to get his old ass into the cage now. Now he’s so old he can’t even get in the cage.

“We finally got it done and we’re looking forward to March or April for kicking it off, try to get him a wheel chair so he can get himself into that cage next time.”

Top Tier Fighter Added To Sengoku 6

2008-10-15T16:31:00.002+01:00

World Victory Road have announced the addition of Takanori Gomi to their Sengoku 6 card.

Gomi will face Sergey Golyaev at the Saitama Super Arena on November 3rd. He joins Josh Barnett as one of the biggest names on the card so far.

Here is the card as it currently stands:

Josh Barnett vs. TBA
Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal vs. Fabio Silva
Sergey Golyaev vs. Takanori Gomi
Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Jorge Santiago
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Yuki Sasaki
Joe Doerksen vs. Izuru Takeuchi
Mizuto Hirota vs. Kazunori Yokota
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Bang Seung Hwan vs. Jorge Masvidal

UFC Secures Japanese TV Deal

2008-10-14T20:18:00.003+01:00

UFC President Dana White has announced that the UFC have secured a two year deal with a major Japanese TV Station.

The station has agreed to show UFC events for the next two years, after the success of the shows they aired from 2001-2007.

Dana White had this to say:

"The Japanese market has always been important to the UFC, and we want to bring MMA and all of its biggest stars back to Japan. We are thrilled to be back with WOWOW."

Joe Doerksen Added To Sengoku 6

2008-10-14T20:13:00.004+01:00

Former UFC fighter Joe Doerksen has been added to the World Victory Road Sengoku 6 card, to take on Japanese fighter Izuru Takeuchi.

The event takes place on November 1st a the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. The event wil be headlined by Josh Barnett against an unnamed opponent.

Here is the full card for the event:

Josh Barnett vs. TBA
Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal vs. TBA
Siyar Bahadurzada vs. Jorge Santiago
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Yuki Sasaki
Bang Seung Hwan vs. Jorge Masvidal
Mizuto Hirota vs. Kazunori Yokota
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Joe Doerksen vs. Izuru Takeuchi

Diego Out, Koscheck In At UFC 90

2008-10-14T12:16:00.002+01:00

Diego Sanchez has been pulled from his UFC 90 bout with Thiago Alves due to injury.

Sanchez is suffering from damaged ribs, which were originally thought to be a ruptured spleen. No expected recovery time has been announced.

Josh Koscheck will serve as a replacement for this fight. Koscheck was expected to fight on the "Fight for the Troops" card in December, but has been bumped forward at short notice for this fight. It is unknown whether he will still fight in December.

The event takes place at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois on October 25th.

The Face of Women's MMA

2008-10-13T12:33:00.001+01:00

I have recently written an article about Women's MMA, which I would like fans to read if they have the time.

I can't publish the article here, because the site that it is published on have exclusive rights to it, but please follow the link below. Any comments that you wish to post would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.sportales.com/Martial-Arts/The-Face-of-Womens-MMA.291191

Congratulations GSP!

2008-10-13T12:31:00.002+01:00

Just a quick note to say congratulations to Georges St. Pierre, who has just been awarded his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

St. Pierre has been noted as saying that, along with the day he won his UFC belt, it was the best moment of his life.

Goran Reljic Out of UFC 90

2008-10-13T12:23:00.002+01:00

UFC Middleweight Goran Reljic has been forced out of his UFC 90 match against Thales Leites due to injury.

Reljic has injured his back during training and has been given an expected recovery time of two to four months. Reljic currently holds a professional record of 8-0, and a win over Leites could have earned him a title shot.

No replacement opponent has been named yet, and with twelve days left, the UFC may struggle to find one.

Shamrock Brothers Sign Contract

2008-10-13T12:18:00.003+01:00

Ken and Frank Shamrock are reported to have signed a contract to fight each other some time next year.

The contract was signed last week, with no fixed date or promotion attatched to it. Elite XC have shown interest in the bout, but whether they can afford to pick up such an expensive fight at this time remains to be seen.

Ken and Frank Shamrock have been feuding since Frank left Ken's gym, the Lion's Den, and hope this fight will releive some of the tension between them.

Just an Update...

2008-09-06T16:52:00.000+01:00

Just wanted to let readers know that I'm in the process of moving house, so won't resume regular updates until everything has settled down here. This should hopefully take a week or two.

RUMOR: Randy To Return To The Octagon

2008-08-28T08:14:00.004+01:00

I first of all want to stress that this is currently just a rumor, with no real credible sources, just a lot of hearsay.

That being said, Randy Couture may be coming back to the UFC! It is believed that he may be fighting the last remaining fights on his contract. He is expected to return at UFC 91. No opponents are romored for the bout as yet. Brock Lesnar is being thrown around, since he is booked for that card too, but Cheick Kongo is rumored to be his opponent.

We will bring you more on this as it breaks.

Quinton Jackson Will Fight Despite Charges

2008-08-27T13:22:00.003+01:00

UFC President Dana White has spoken out about Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and his status within the UFC.

There has been a lot of speculation amongst fans and the media about when Jackson will fight next, if he will fight again at all, due to the charges he faces regarding his traffic incident in July. Here is what Dana had to say about the issue:

“Of course he’ll fight,” White said. “If he was doing drugs, if he had been drunk, if he had gone out there and done what he did because he was pissed off at someone, that would be a completely different story. But he was ill. And in this company, we support our friends and anyone who works for us when they’re ill and have problems. He was ill, the incident occurred, and now he’s fine."

This is good news for Rampage fans. Rumors are currently circulating that he could be facing Mauricio "Shogun" Rua as early as November. Dana did clarify that he won't be facing Wanderlei Silva in his next fight.

Top Elite XC Fighters Added To November CBS card

2008-08-27T13:06:00.004+01:00

Vice President of Elite XC Jared Shaw announced some big names to be added to the November Elite XC Showtime card on CBS.

The names mentioned are Nick Diaz, Joey Villasenor, Brett Rogers and Rafael Cavalcante. No opponents have been confirmed for these fighters. Robbie Lawler has been mentioned as a possible opponent for Villasenor, although this is far from being signed. If Villasenor is successful in his fight, he will likely get a shot at the title. The same is true for Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante, who will be in line for the organisation's first ever Light Heavyweight title if he wins in November.

Brett Rogers was expected to fight Kimbo Slice, but that fight has instead been given to Ken Shamrock ( see here for original story: http://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/08/kimbo-to-face-ken-shamrock.html). Diaz was expected to face KJ Noons at this event, but Noon's management rejected the fight, claiming that the fight made no sense for Noons as Diaz wasn't a contender for his belt at the time. We will bring you news of the opponents for these fighters when we learn them.

Fighter Pulls Out Of WEC Fight

2008-08-26T21:23:00.004+01:00

WEC fighter Tim McKenzie has been forced to pull out of his bout against David Avellan at September 10th's WEC event.

McKenzie is reported to have sustained an injury in training, although nothing is known about the nature of the injury. With the fight being just two weeks away, it is unclear whether the WEC will find a replacement for McKenzie, or the bout will be scrapped.

If the fight is cancelled, there will be eight fights on the card, which is headline by Urijah Faber and Mike Brown. The full card looks like this:

Urijah Faber vs. Mike Brown

Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen

Jens Pulver vs. Leonard Garcia

Danillo Villefort vs. Jake Rosholt

Rob McCullough vs. Donald Cerrone

Rani Yahya vs. Yoshihiro Maeda

Johny Hendricks vs. Alex Serdyukov

Ed Ratcliff vs. Danny Castillo

UPDATE: Southworth Out Of Title Fight

2008-08-26T13:44:00.002+01:00

Earlier this month we reported that Bobby Southworth would be defending his Strikeforce Light Heavyweight title against Renato "Babalu"Sobral. (See original story here http://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/08/bobby-southworth-to-defend-title.html)

Bobby Southworth has announced that he has sustained an injury during training and has pulled out of the bout. He will be replaced by Anthony Ruiz in a non-title bout.

Ruiz holds a record of 23-11, and will face Sobral on September 20th at Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion 2.

Kimbo To Face Ken Shamrock

2008-08-26T05:15:00.003+01:00

Elite XC have officially announced that Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson will face Ken Shamrock at their Ocotber event.

Shamrock holds a record of 26-13-2, and is currently on a 5 fight losing streak. Ferguson is relatively new to the pro fight game, with a record of 3-0.

Elite XC Official Jared Shaw has said this of the match up:

This is the biggest fight that can be made right now. It's bigger than Brett Rogers. It's bigger than Sean Gannon. Millions and millions have been entertained by Ken Shamrock over the years in Japan, in the UFC, and in the WWF, now the WWE. He's the biggest proven pay-per-view commodity in the sport. Together, those two will maximize the eyeballs for mixed martial arts on Oct. 4th."

Murilo "Ninja" Rua Versus Benji Radach Announced

2008-08-26T04:30:00.003+01:00

Former Elite XC Middleweight Champion Murilo "Ninja" Rua will face former IFL Anaconda Benji Radach at Elite XC's October event.

Murilo Rua was Elite XC's first ever Middleweight champion and has five wins in his past six fights. He is the older brother of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and is a former Pride veteran.

Benji Radach is best known to fans for his stint in the IFL as a member of Bas Rutten's Anaconda's. He also fought three fights for the UFC in 2002, against Nick Serra, Steve Berger and Sean Sherk. His UFC record is 1-1 with 1 no contest due to early stoppage and suspected illegal blow. Radach originally won this fight against Berger, but the decision was subsequently overturned.

The pair will meet at the already stacked Ocotber 4th event. Here is the current card:

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. TBA
Champ Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley (for EliteXC welterweight title)
Benji Radach vs. Murilo "Ninja" Rua
Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold-Gavin
Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Yoko Takahashi

Opponent Named For Josh Thomson

2008-08-26T04:18:00.003+01:00

Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson has been rumored for Strikeforce's September card for the last few weeks, but no opponent had been named.

We have now learned that Thomson will face Ashe Bowman, a former WEC and Ken Shamrock Productions fighter. He holds a pro record of 6-4 and is a member of Ken Shamrock's Lion's Den.

This fight will be the main event at the Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion 2 event on September 20th. The fight will be a three round fight and will not be a title fight.

Quinton Jackson Charged For Recent Arrest

2008-08-26T04:13:00.004+01:00

Quinton Jackson has been formally charged with two felony and four misdemeanor charges stemming from his arrest in July.

Jackson is reported to have driven recklessly, driving on the wrong side of the road, hitting other cars and evading arrest. The full charges are as follows:

"one felony count of evading while driving recklessly, one felony count of evading a peace officer and driving against traffic, three misdemeanor counts of hit and run with property damage, and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving.”

If Jackson is convicted of these charges, he faces up to 3 years in prison.

Takanori Gomi wins Sengoku Lightweight Grand Prix

2008-08-26T03:58:00.003+01:00

As expected, Takanori Gomi has won the Lightweight Title at Sengoku "Fourth Battle" this weekend.

The decision to put Gomi in the final without having to fight his way there was a decision that angered many fans, but ultimately paid off for Gomi. He faced Seung Hwan Bang at this weekend's event, winning via a lackluster unanimous decision. This gave him the title of World Victory Road Lightweight Champion. The winner of the lightweight grand prix will now fight Gomi when the time comes.

In the lightweight grand prix, heavy favourite Ryan Schultz was knocked out by Mizuto Hirota via superman punch. This loss was highly unexpected and has suprised many fans. All the winners in the grand prix were Japanese fighters, and they will face off in the semi finals.

Here are the full results from the event:

MAIN CARD
Takanori Gomi def. Seung Hwan Bang via unanimous decision
Frank Trigg def. Makoto Takimoto via unanimous decision
Yang Dong Yi def. Pawel Nastula via TKO Round 2, 2:15
Moise Rimbon def. Peter Graham via submission (rear-naked choke) Round 2, 0:42
Valentijn Overeem def. Kazuo Takahashi via KO (knee) Round 1, 2:42

SENGOKU LIGHTWEIGHT GRAND PRIX
Satoru Kitaoka def. Clay French via submission (Achilles lock ) Round 1, 0:31
Eiji Mitsuoka def. Rodrigo Damm via submission (rear naked choke) Round 1, 3:13
Kazunori Yokota def. Bojan Kosednar via unanimous decision
Mizuto Hirota def. Ryan Schultz via KO (superman punch) Round 2, 4:25

WEC Signs Wagnney Fabiano

2008-08-24T01:17:00.002+01:00

IFL Featherweight champion Wagnney Fabiano has signed a contract with Zuffa owned promotion WEC.

Fabiano has a career record of 10-1, with his only loss coming to Jeff Curran.

There is no word on when his first fight will be. This signing makes Fabiano the last IFL champion to be given a new home after the under publicised, but major, breakup of the IFL.

Edwin Dewees Fined And Suspended For Steriod Use

2008-08-22T16:27:00.002+01:00

Former UFC fighter Edwin Dewees has tested positive for the anabolic stroid Nandralone after Affliction: Banned in June.

Dewees has been suspended for one year and fined $2,500 by the California State Athletic Commission. The normal human body contains up to 0.5 ng/ml of the substance, whereas Dewees sample showed up at 490ng/ml.

There is no word yet on whether Dewees will appeal the decision.

Antonio Silva Fined For Steroid use

2008-08-22T16:18:00.003+01:00

Elite XC's heavyweight champion Antonio Silva has tested positive for banned substance Boldenone, a stroid designed for use in animals.

Silva has been fined $2,500 and suspended for a year. He has already denied the use of this or any other substance, and will appeal the decision.

Elite XC have stated that they support their fighter and will wait until the appeal hearing to decide if they should strip Silva of his belt.

RUMOR: Lesnar To Return In November

2008-08-21T17:28:00.004+01:00

Rumors are currently circulating that Brock Lesnar may fight again in November.

There are no reports on an opponent, a location or a date, although Portland Oregon is currently in the Works for November.

Swick Won't Fight At UFC 90

2008-08-20T18:02:00.002+01:00

Earlier today I mentioned that Mike Swick was expected to fight at UFC 90, although he had no opponent.

This is now reported to be false. Whilst Swick was contacted to fight, he is not properly healed from his recent surgery on his elbow, and will ot be fit to fight in October. Instead, he is looking to make his octagon return in December.

UPDATE: Sherk versus Griffin Official

2008-08-20T17:48:00.005+01:00

We recently reported that Sean Sherk would take on Tyson Griffin at UFC 90, altohugh this was just a rumor (see here for original story http://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/08/rumor-sherk-versus-griffin-at-ufc-90.html)

This fight is now confirmed for the October 25th event. The main event will be Anderson Silva versus Patrick Cote, and will also feature fights such as Hermes Franca versus Gleison Tibau and Pete Sell versus Josh Burkman.

Mike Swick has also recently been added to the card, although an opponent has not yet been named.

Sengoku 4 Full Card And Sengoku 5 Fighters Announced

2008-08-20T17:23:00.003+01:00

Japanese promotion World Victory Road have anounced their full card for Sengoku 4, and some of the fighters to appear at Sengoku 5.

Here is the full card for Sengouk 4. The events marked * are the Lightweight Grand Prix bouts.

Takanori Gomi vs Bang Seung Hwan
Makoto Takimoto vs Frank Trigg
Clay French vs. Satoru Kitaoka*
Rodrigo Damm vs. Eiji Mitsuoka*
Bojan Kosednar vs. Kazunori Yokota*
Mizuto Hirota vs. Ryan Schultz*
Pawel Nastula vs Yang Dong Yi
Peter Graham vs Moise Rimbon
Valentijn Overeem vs. Kazuo Takahashi

The following names have been announced for Sengoku 5 - Xande Ribeiro, Roger Gracie, Jorge Masvidal, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Evangelista Santos, Jorge Santiago and Siyar Bahadurzada.

RUMOR: UFC December Show To Be Held In Montreal?

2008-08-20T17:19:00.002+01:00

There is currently a rumor circulating about the location of the UFC's prestigeous December show.

The UFC typically holds an event at the end of December featuring a star studded line up, usually held in Las Vegas. This year, a Canadian newspaper is reporting that the event will be held in Montreal this year.

There has been no other evidence that this is the case, so please just treat this as hearsay for now. I will bring you any confirmation as it is released.

Palace fighting Championship Announce New Signings

2008-08-20T17:14:00.002+01:00

California based company Palace Fighting Championship have today announced some new signings, and there are some familiar names included in their list.

PFC have signed Alex Schoenauer and John Gunderson, both former IFL fighters (and UFC, in the case of Schoenauer). They have also signed former TUF cast members and UFC fighters Lodune Sincaid, Jason Von Flue and Gabe Ruediger. Here is the full list of signings (courtesy of Five Ounces Of Pain.Com)

1. Jason Carpenter (lightweight): 13-0 (amateur) and a four-time Grapplers Quest Champion
2. John Gunderson (lightweight): 16-6 and a former IFL veteran
3. Jimmy Jarquin (featherweight): 2-2
4. Lavar Johnson (heavyweight): 7-3 and a former WEC veteran
5. Scott McAfee (lightweight): 5-1 and a former WEC and AFC veteran
6. Jeremiah Metcalf (welterweight): 9-4 and a former EliteXC and Strikeforce veteran
7. Takumi Nakayama (lightweight): 13-11-4 and a former King of the Cage and Shooto veteran
8. Masahiro Oishi (featherweight): 18-9-7 and a veteran of Shooto and K-1 HERO’s
9. Gabe Ruediger (lightweight): 11-4 and a UFC and WEC veteran. Ruediger also appeared on the fifth season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
10. Alex Schoenauer (light heavyweight): 14-9 and a UFC and IFL veteran. Schoenauer also appeared on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
11. Kamal Shalorus (welterweight): 6-0 and a former member of the British Olympic wrestling team
12. Lodune Sincaid (middleweight): 13-6 and a former UFC and WEC veteran. Sincaid also appeared on the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
13. Justin Smitley (featherweight): 4-2
14. Rambaa “M16” Somdet (flyweight): 4-2 and a veteran of DEEP and Shooto. Considered to be one of the most exciting fighters in the world at 125 lbs.
15. Bill Theofanopoulos (lightweight): 2-0
16. Roni Torres (welterweight): 13-1 and a veteran of Shooto in Japan and Jungle Fight in Brazil
17. Jason Von Flue (welterweight): 13-10-1 and a former UFC and WEC veteran
18. Eddie Yagin (featherweight): 11-3-1

Terry Martin To Fight Cory Devela At Strikeforce Event

2008-08-20T17:08:00.004+01:00

Former UFC Middleweight Te rry Martin has recently been signed by Strikeforce, and is expected to compete at Strikeforce At The Playboy Mansion 2 in September.

His opponent will be Cory Devela, a middleweight who defeated Joe Riggs at a Strikeforce event earlier this year, after Riggs submitted due to a back injury.

The event takes place September 20th, and features fights between Bobby Southworth and Renato Sobral for the Light Heavyweight title (currently held by Southworth) and Josh Thomson versus an unnamed opponent.

RUMOR: UFC 91 May Feature Florian - Stevenson Bout

2008-08-20T17:02:00.004+01:00

A rumored match up between Joe "Daddy" Stevenson and Kenny "Kenflo" Florian may occur at UFC 91.

The bout is reported to have been verbally agreed, although nothing is official yet. The bout, if it is scheduled, is expected to take place on November 15th in Oregon, although the venue and date are also currently rumors.

Both Stevenson and Florian are contenders in the Lightweight division, and are both coming off wins, Stevenson to Gleison Tibau and Florian to Roger Huerta.

James Lee Out, Mike Patt In At UFC 88

2008-08-20T00:33:00.004+01:00

UFC Light Heavyweight fighter James Lee has been forced out of his September 6th fight with Tim Boetsch due to a torn bicep, which he suffered in training last week.

Stepping in at short notice to replace him is UFC newcomer Mike Patt. Patt is 11-2 in pro MMA and is a veteran of Bodog Fights. He trains at Kerry Schall's Meat Truck, Inc.

Patt's opponent will be Tim Boetsch, who is coming off a loss to Matt Hamill in April. Boetsch holds a record of 7-2, with his only other loss coming to IFL and Pride veteran Vladimir Matyushenko.

Jason MacDonald Replaces Jason Day At UFC 88

2008-08-20T00:24:00.003+01:00

UFC middleweight Jason MacDonald will replace Jason Day at UFC 88, in a match up against Jason Lambert.

The bout, scheduled for September 6th, takes place in Atlanta, Georgia. Jason Day is reported to have suffered an arm injury in training for this bout.

This fight will be Jason Lambert's first at middleweight, and he now has a tough opponent in Jason MacDonald. MacDonald is coming off a third round submission loss to Demian Maia at UFC 77. This will be his second fight in as many months.

The Ultimate Fighter 8 Cast Revealed

2008-08-18T21:30:00.004+01:00

The official lists for the cast of The Ultimate Fighter 8 have now been announced.

The show airs in September on Spike TV.

Here are the names announced. The teams coaches are Frank Mir and current Heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

This list is courtesy of Five Ounces Of Pain.Com

LIGHTWEIGHT

Jose Aguilar: 25-years old; 17-3; Grapplers Edge
Fernando Bernstein: 25-years old; 2-0; Progressive Martial Arts
Junie Allen Browning: 22-years old; 2-0; Four Seasons Martial Arts
Rolando Delgado: 26-years old; 7-3-1; Westside Fight Team
Joseph Duarte: 24-years old; 3-0; Unleashed Training Facility
Charles Diaz: 30-years old; 14-4; Team EFX
Efrain Escudero: 22-years old; Southwest Martial Arts
Brandon Garner: 26-years old; 4-1; Team ROC
David Kaplan: 28-years old; 3-1; Team Lloyd Irvin
Brian McLaughlin: 23-years old; 5-0; Gracie Tampa
Wesley Murch: 25-years old; 4-2; Trojan Gym
Shane Nelson: 24-years old; 11-3; B.J. Penn’s MMA Academy
Phillipe Nover: 24-years old; 5-0-1; Team Renzo Gracie
Ido Pariente: 30-years old; 13-4; no gym affiliation
John Polakowski: 26-years old; 3-1; The Pit
George Roop: 26-years old; 7-3; Ultima MMA

LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT

Ryan Bader: 24-years old; 7-0; Arizona Combat Sports
Antwain Britt: 29-years old; 4-0; Bombsquad MMA
Jules Bruchez: 30-years old; 3-2; Ronin Dojo
Lance Evans: 30-years old; 4-2; TKO MMA
Karen Grigoryan: 26-years old; 5-0; RusFighters Sports Club
Jason Guida: 30-years old; 26-13; Hellhouse Gym
Ryan Jimmo: 26-years old; 6-1; Titans MMA
Kyle Kingsbury: 26-years old; 7-1-1; American Kickboxing Academy
Tom Lawlor: 24-years old; 6-2; American Top Team
Ryan Lopez: 25-years old; 5-3; no gym affiliation
Vinicius Magalhaes: 23-years old; 2-2; Team Quest (Temecula)
Eric Magee: 23-years old; 3-1; South Shore Sport Fighting
Eliot Marshall: 27-years old; 5-1; Easton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Sean O’Connell: 24-years old; 1-0; no gym affiliation
Shane Primm: 23-years old; 1-0; Gracie Tampa
Krzysztof Soszynski: 30-years old; 16-8-1; Team Quest (Temecula)

Quniton Jackson's Court Hearing Postponed

2008-08-18T13:43:00.003+01:00

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was due to attend court last week stemming from his alledged driving offences.

This hearing has now been postponed as legal officials are still working on the evidence for the case.

Rampage was expecting to fight again in the UFC in November, but this may not happen until his hearing takes place.

Elite XC Cancel Shows

2008-08-16T19:21:00.004+01:00

Elite XC have announced that they have cancelled their September 20th event. No reason has been given for the cancellation, although there has been speculation that they were struggling to find a main event fight for the night.

Pro Elite, the parent company of Elite XC has also announced that they have cancelled a Cage Rage Contenders event to be held in the UK tonight. Again, no reason has been given.

Bao Quach versus Wilson Reis forElite XC 140lb Title

2008-08-15T16:58:00.002+01:00

Bao Quach and Wilson Reis will meet at Elite XC's September 20th event to crown a 140lb champion.

The 140lb division within Elite XC currently doesn't have a champion, so the winner of this fight will make history as the first champion ever in the weight class.

The event takes place September 20th in Alburquerque, New Mexico and is headlined by Joey Villasenor and a currently unnamed opponent.

John Alessio Denies Fight With Jake Shields

2008-08-15T10:53:00.002+01:00

Rumors have been circulating that John Alessio would be fighting Jake Shields for the Elite XC Welterweight belt.

Alessio has denied those rumors, stating that he will be unable to fight on the September card due to a broken arm sustained in June against Pete Spratt.

Alessio did, however, state that he will be ready to fight again at Elite XC's October 4th event.

Rothwell versus Rizzo At Affliction 2

2008-08-14T17:06:00.004+01:00

Affliction have announced another bout for their Affliction 2: Day of Reckoning card.

Former IFL fighter Ben Rothwell will face Former UFC heavweight Pedro Rizzo. Both fighters are coming off losses, Rothwell to Andre Arlovski and Rizzo to Josh Barnett. Both fights took place at Affliction 1: Banned last month.

Affliction 2: Day Of Reckoning takes place October 11th in Las Vegas. Here is the card as it currently stands.

Josh Barnett vs. Andrei Arlovski

Matt Lindland vs. Vitor Belfort
Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
Ben Rothwell vs. Pedro Rizzo

Chris Horodecki vs. Dan Lauzon*

Roy Nelson vs. Paul Buentello

Mike Pyle vs. Jason High

*This bout is currently not confirmed

WEC 35 Fighters Drug Tests Come Back Negative

2008-08-14T17:01:00.003+01:00

All the fighters tested at WEC 35 have tested clean for both recreational and performance enhancing drugs.

Though the event was over two weeks ago, the results have just been released due to the length of time needed for recreational drugs testing.

In the report issued by Nevada State Athletic Commission, the following fighters were named as having been tested: Carlos Condit, Hiromitsu Miura, Brian Stann, Steve Cantwell, Jamie Varner, Marcus Hicks, Brian Bowles, Josh Grispi, Brock Larson, and Scott Jorgensen.

Bobby Southworth To Defend Title

2008-08-13T18:23:00.003+01:00

Strikeforce Light Heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth will defend his title on September 20th.

The bout will take place at Strikeforce At The Playboy Mansion 2, and Southworth's opponent will be former UFC light heavyweight fighter Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

Other fighters have been added to the card including Josh Thomson and Billy Evangelista. No opponent has been named for either fighter.

UFC Looking to Expand Furter

2008-08-12T17:48:00.003+01:00

In a recent interview, Dana White has spoken about the places the UFC is heading.

Firstly, he plans to hold an event in Mexico in the near future. Fighters like Diego Sanchez, Roger Huerta and Eddie Sanchez all provide an interest to fans there.

He also mentioned the Phillipines as a future destination. The Phillipines already airs UFC shows, and UFC fighter Brandon Vera has roots in the country, as well as a large fan base.

Canada is also in for some suprises. Dana explained that Canada has suprised them with their level of interest in the organisation, so they plan to head back there very soon.

The UFC is also working on legalizing MMA in New York and Massachussetts, but legislation issues have put there plans back and this won't happen until 2009 at the earliest.

Fedor To Return At New Year's Eve

2008-08-12T17:30:00.002+01:00

Fedor Emelianenko has spoken today about his plans for the rest of this year.

He was supposed to fight Andre Arlovski at the next Affliction event, but has been pulled from this due to injury. Arlovski will instead fight Josh Barnett for the number one contender slot. The winner of this fight will then fight Fedor.

Fedor said today that he wants to fight both fighters, not just the winner. Both of these fights stand to be very exciting and we hope they happen sometime in the near future. They won't happen this year, however.

Fedor's next fight will take place on New Year's Eve in Japan. There have been rumors that he would face Cro Cop, but this will now not happen. His opponent is not yet determined, but is expected to be a Judo legend or a Sumo wrestler. We will bring you more information as we learn it.

Phil Baroni To Fight At Palace Fighting Championships

2008-08-12T17:26:00.002+01:00

Former UFC veteran Phil Baroni has announced his next fight, to take place on September 20th.

Baroni recently fought Ron Verdadero at an ICON Sports event, where he won via TKO in round 1.His next fight takes place just over a month after this win.

His opponent will be former WEC welterweight Olaf Alfonso, who holds a record of 7-8.

UFC Sign Matt Horwich

2008-08-12T17:14:00.002+01:00

The UFC announced last night that they have signed former IFL Middleweight Champion Matt Horwich.

Horwich holds a 23-10 pro MMA record and the UFC intend to put him to work right away. He has been booked to fight Ricardo Almeida at UFC 90.

The event takes place October 25th in Chicago. Other fights rumored to be on the card are Tyson Griffin versus Sean Sherk and the now confirmed bout between Thales Leites and Goran Reljic.

Four Medical Suspensions Issued For UFC 87

2008-08-11T21:38:00.003+01:00

Despite the bloody outcome of several of Saturday's fights, only four fighters have been issued with medical suspensions, and none of them are long ones.

Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch, who faced off against each other in a title fight, were both issued with 30 day suspensions due to lacerations. This came as a suprise to many fans as Fitch particularly looked like he had suffered potential orbital bone damage.

Dan Evensen, who faced Cheick Kongo in a heavyweight fight was suspended for 30 days, and must be cleared by a doctor following a CT scan to rule out serious damage.

Ryan Thomas, who suffered a submission loss to Ben Saunders was also issued with a 30 day suspension for facial lacerations.

Suprisingly, Heath Herring was not issued a suspension despite serious facial lacerations.

First Match Announced For Strikeforce At The Playboy Mansion 2

2008-08-11T16:40:00.004+01:00

Strikeforce have announced their first match for the "Strikeforce At The Playboy Mansion 2" event in September.

Welterwight fighters Joe Riggs and Kazuo Misaki will face each other at the event, held on September 20th.

Riggs will be looking for his fifth win in six fights. He is reported to be excited to be back fighting for Strikeforce after his health kept him out of the organisation for a while due to licensing restrictions.

Misaki is a former Pride and Pancrase fighter, and is looking for an exciting foght with Riggs, due to both fighters having an aggressive, explosive style.

RUMOR: Lesnar Could Face Cheick Kongo

2008-08-11T16:33:00.003+01:00

Rumors are currently circulating that Brock Lesnar could be facing Cheick Kongo in his next match up.

This fight could be tricky for both fighters, purely due to their striking abilities. Neither fighter has a particularly strong submission game, but the edge on the ground could be given to Lesnar due to his strength and wrestling ability.

There are also rumors of a possible match up with Mark Coleman, who Lesnar was originally slated to meet at UFC 87. This may not come into fruition however, as Coleman is rumored to be moving to Light Heavyweight.

UFC 87 Locker Room Bonuses

2008-08-10T23:30:00.003+01:00

In the aftermath of Saturday's UFC 87 event, the UFC have issued the names of the fighters who received the locker room bonuses.

Fight of the night deservedly went to Jon Fitch and Georges St. Pierre for their five round war. Whilst GSP dominated every round of the fight, credit must go to Fitch for his amazing ability to compose himself and continue to pose a challenge until the very end.

KO of the night went to Rob Emerson for his stunning 12 second knock out over Manvel Gambuyan, who was tipped as heavy favourite for this fight.

Demian Maia received submission of the night for his rear naked choke victory over Jason MacDonald.

All bonuses are reported to have been $60,000 and come on top of their standard fight wages. The figures for their contracted payroll will be reported in the next few days.

UFC 87 Post Fight Results

2008-08-10T23:24:00.004+01:00

After an exciting night of fights on Saturday night, here are the results:

Ben Saunders defeated Ryan Thomas via Submission (Armbar)in Round 2

Chris Wilson defeated Steve Bruno via Decision (Unanimous)

Jon Jones defeated Andre Gusmao via Decision (Unanimous)

Cheick Kongo defeated Dan Evensen via TKO (Strikes) in Round 1

Tamdan McCrory defeated Luke Cummo via Decision

Demian Maia defeated Jason MacDonald via Submission (Rear-naked Choke) in Round 3

Kenny Florian defeated Roger Huerta via Decision (Unanimous)

Robert Emerson defeated Manvel Gamburyan via KO (Punches) in Round 1

Brock Lesnar defeated Heath Herring via Decision (Unanimous)

Georges St. Pierre defeated Jon Fitch via Decision (Unanimous) and retains the UFC welterweight title.

Florian - Huerta Not For Title Shot

2008-08-08T14:46:00.004+01:00

Although Dana White once said that the winner of the Florian - Huerta fight would get a shot at the lightweight title, he has now gone on record to say that isn't the case.

BJ Penn recently announced his plans to move to welterweight (see here for original story http://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/08/bj-moving-to-welterweight.html) and plans to hold both belts at once. Penn plans to fight at welterweight in December against the winner of GSP - Fitch, so any lightweight title defence is on the back burner for now.

This will surely come as a blow for Florian and Huerta, especially as Huerta is currently on rocky ground with the UFC regarding his contract status. Only time will tell what will happen to the lightweight division.

BJ Moving To Welterweight

2008-08-08T14:39:00.005+01:00

Both BJ Penn and Dana White have confirmed in the next few days that BJ Penn will move to Welterweight to fight for the title.

The move is likely to come in December, with Penn facing the winner of tomorrow's Georges St. Pierre - Jon Fitch fight. Dana White had previously said that if Fitch won, Penn would not want to move divisions, as he is only interested in a rematch with St. Pierre. Penn has other ideas:

"Jon Fitch is a great opponent, a tough opponent, but St. Pierre brings the whole backing of Canada with him to a fight," stated Penn. "Fan base, this sport, it's entertainment. It would be great to put on a big fight with me and St-Pierre, but then again, it’s about me fighting the best fighter and if Fitch goes down and proves he’s the best fighter, then he’s the man.”

Penn also stated that he would like to hold both the Lightweight and the Welterweight titles at the same time, if he can. Dana has neither confirmed nor denied that this would be possible.

Leites - Reljic Signed For UFC 90

2008-08-08T14:32:00.003+01:00

A bout has recently been signed between Goran Reljic and Thales Leites.

The bout is expected to take place at UFC 90 in October. Reljic will move down to middleweight for the bout, although there is no word on whether this will be a permanant move.

The event will be the UFC's first in Chicago. The full fight card has not yet been confirmed, but the following bouts are rumored:

Champ Anderson Silva vs. Patrick Cote (for UFC middleweight title)
Thiago Alves vs. Diego Sanchez
Tyson Griffin vs. Sean Sherk
Fabricio Werdum vs. TBA
Thales Leites vs. Goran Reljic
Hermes Franca vs. Gleison Tibau

Jason Lambert Drops To Middleweight

2008-08-08T14:14:00.003+01:00

Former Light Heavyweight fighter Jason Lambert has chosen to drop a weight class for his next fight.

Lambert will drop to 185lbs for a middleweight bout with Jason Day. The bout will take place at UFC 88 in Atlanta next month.

The move may prove to be a good one for Lambert, who has lost his last two fights, and is 4-3 in the UFC.

Quinton Jackson Getting Back On Track

2008-08-08T14:09:00.002+01:00

Quinton Jackson appeared in public today for the first time since his arrest.

He appeared in Minnesota alongside Dana White at a meet and greet for UFC 87. Speaking later at the UFC 87 press conference, he stated that he was getting back on track with his life, having changed his training team.

Jackson blamed the outburst on emotional problems that caused him to stop eating and sleeping. This apparently led to a delerious state which triggered the events. Jackson confirmed that he no longer trains with former coach Juanito Ibarra, but would not divulge reasons why the split occurred.

Weight Class Merge for Zuffa Given The Go Ahead

2008-08-08T02:36:00.003+01:00

After months of deliberation, Zuffa have decided to merge some of the weight classes from the UFC and the WEC together.

Some of the heavier weight classes will be taken from the WEC, and the fighters will be employed by the UFC instead. The weight classes in question will be the Middleweight and Light Heavyweight divisions.

Some of the fighters that will be passing between the organisations include World Top 5 ranked middleweight Paulo Filho, Chael Sonnen, Brian Stann and Steve Cantwell. There is no time frame mentioned for this merge, but the changes are currently under way.

UPDATE: Aleksander Emelianenko May Never Fight In USA

2008-08-07T17:01:00.002+01:00

After mixed reports concerning Aleksander Emelianenko's licensing status in California after last month's Affliction: Banned event.

Affliction expected Aleksander to be able to fight at their coming event "Day of Reckoning" in October, but the California State Athletic Commission may have stopped these plans early. Speaking about Emelianenko, a spokesman for the Commission had this to say: "

The one thing that I can absolutely say is that he (Emelianenko) was not and will not be cleared to fight in California. He is officially denied a license and that will stand for all of the United States of America”.

I'm not sure if anything can be done to rectify the situation for Aleks, but things certainly don't look good.

New Signing For Affliction

2008-08-07T16:05:00.002+01:00

Former IFL Star Chris Horodecki has been signed by Affliction.

This signing has been rumored for the past few days, and has now been confirmed.

Horodecki holds a professional record of 12-1, with his only loss coming from IFL Lightweight champion Ryan Schultz, in a fight for the title itself.

Horodecki has been a much desired fighter for the past few weeks, receiving offers from WEC, Affliction and Strikeforce.

Affliction Announce Next Event Details

2008-08-07T15:51:00.003+01:00

Affliction held a press conference yesterday to announce plans for their next event.

The event, called "Day Of Reckoning" will be held on October 11th in Las Vegas. The three preliminary bouts will be shown on HDNet, with the seven fight main card being shown on Pay Per View straight after.

The main event will be a heavyweight fight between Josh Barnett and Andre Arlovski. This is a number one contender fight, with the winner facing Fedor Emelianenko at a future event. Emelianenko was originally slated to face Arlovski at this event but was forced out due to a lingering hand injury, causing the number one contender match to be scheduled in it's place.

Other planned bouts include Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Jason High vs. Mike Pyle, (as a preliminary bout) Paul Buentello vs. Roy Nelson (as a preliminary bout) and Matt Lindland vs. Vitor Belfort. There is currently speculation as to whether Belfort will be fit to fight on October after he was given a six month medical suspension after Affliction's last event. Belfort cvan be cleared early to fight, but he needs to show a significant improvement in his injury before a doctor will clear him. We will keep you updated on this.

If Tito Ortiz is signed by the company in time for the event, there is rumors that he may face Renato "babalu" Sobral on this card, but that is still under speculation.

Here is the card as it stands:

Main Card

Josh Barnett vs. Andre Arlovski

Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

Matt Lindland vs. Vitor Belfort

Preliminary Bouts

Paul Buentello vs. Roy Nelson

Jason High vs. Mike Pyle

UPDATE: Tito Not Yet Signed To Affliction

2008-08-07T15:40:00.004+01:00

I reported yesterday that Tito Ortiz has signed a contract with Affliction (see the original story here http://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/08/tito-ortiz-signs-with-affliction.html)

This has been denied by Affliction as just a rumor at the current time. Affliction Excecutives held a press conference yesterday to announce their next event (details of which can be found herehttp://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/08/affliction-announce-next-event-details.html), but Tito was not present at the event.

When reporters asked Donald Trump about the signing, he stated that nothing was yet signed, but they were interested in signing him, and were in negotiations with him. The status of Ortiz's contract may be updated in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.

Cyborg To Fight At October Elite XC Event

2008-08-06T21:13:00.002+01:00

Cris Cyborg is expected to fight for Elite XC on October 4th.

According to Cyborg's trainer, Rafael Cordeiro, she will face a Japanese fighter, but no names have yet been mentioned. This fight will be Cyborg's first for Elite XC, after she signed the contract with them earlier this month. She was expected to take on Elite XC's star female fighter, Gina Carano, but Carano has instead been booked to face Kelly Kobold-Gavin.

RUMOR: Sherk versus Griffin At UFC 90

2008-08-06T17:29:00.003+01:00

A rumored fight between Sean Sherk and Tyson Griffin is expected to be finalised in the next few days.

The proposed fight will take place at UFC 90 in October, in Chicago, Illinois.

Sherk is currently looking to build his way back up in the lightweight division after his loss to BJ Penn at UFC 84. Griffin, on the other hand, is currently on a four fight winning streak, and is looking for a title shot. It is widely believed that a win over Sherk could put Griffin in line for a title shot.

Elite XC In Albuquerque

2008-08-06T17:17:00.004+01:00

On September 20th, Elite XC will be heading to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

This coincides with the announcement that Joey Villasenor will appear on the card. This is significant as Villasenor fights out of Greg Jackson's camp, based in Albuquerque.

No other names have been announced for the card as yet, but these announcements are expected within the next few weeks, so keep checking back.

Tito Ortiz Signs With Affliction

2008-08-06T17:10:00.002+01:00

As expected, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz has signed a deal with Affliction.

Neither Ortiz nor Affliction have announced the monetary value of his contract as yet, but Tito has gone on the record to say that it is a ground breaking figure, and he will be paid more than any other MMA fighter in history.

Affliction is holding a press conference later today, where they are expected to announce Tito's signing officially.

The question remains amongst MMA fans - Does Tito Ortiz deserve to be the highest paid fighter in MMA? And would he have earned this contract has his close friend Donald Trump not been involved with the company? Discuss your thoughts here.

RUMOR: Guillard Versus Fisher At UFC 90

2008-08-04T20:16:00.004+01:00

It is beleived that Melvin Guillard and Spencer Fisher are in the process of signing a contract to enable to two to fight each other at UFC 90.

The event takes place on October 20th in Chicago, and will be the UFC's first time in Illinois, as they are one of the states to have recently allowed Mixed Martial Arts events.

Interestingly, Fisher's trainer Pat Miletich doesn't think this match up is a good one. When asked about the match, this is what he said “Spencer has no reason to fight that guy, I don’t think Melvin’s earned the right to fight him yet. I think Spencer should be fighting somebody where he’s got something to gain.”

Miletich does beleive that Spencer will win the fight, however, and doesn't think Melvin is on Fisher's level.

The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale Details

2008-08-04T20:11:00.002+01:00

We have recently learned that the finale for The Ultimate Fighter season 8 will be held at The Palms Casino, Las Vegas on December 13th.

Season 8 is coached by heavyweight fighters Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera and Frank Mir, who will face off against each other at a live event after the finale. This season of the show features Heavyweight and Lightweight contenders. The season airs on Spike TV staring on September 17th.

WEC 35 Fighter Payouts

2008-08-04T20:05:00.002+01:00

We have recently received a list of wages received by fighters from last night's WEC event. These figures only show the base salary and win bonus, they don't include any locker room bonuses or other payouts.

Carlos Condit: $44,000 (includes $22,000 win bonus)def. Hiromitsu Miura: $5,000

Steve Cantwell: $10,000 ($5,000 win bonus)def. Brian Stann: $11,000

Jamie Varner: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)def. Marcus Hicks: $16,000

Brian Bowles: $8,000 ($4,000 win bonus)def. Damacio Page: $6,000

Josh Grispi: $8,000 ($4,000 win bonus)def. Micah Miller: $5,000

Brock Larson: $30,000 ($15,000 win bonus)def. Carlo Prater: $7,000

Blas Avena: $12,000 ($6,000 win bonus)def. Dave Terrel: $3,000

Shane Roller: $12,00O ($6,000 win bonus)def. Todd Moore: $4000

Mike Budnik: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus)def. Greg McIntyre: $2,000

Scott Jorgensen: $6,000 ($3,000 win bonus)def. Kenji Osawa: $5,000

The total payroll for this event came to $230,000, with the top earner being Wetlerweight Champion Carlos Condit.

UPDATE: Fedor Out, Barnett In

2008-08-04T19:59:00.004+01:00

Yesterday we reported that the anticipated fight between Andre Arlovski and Fedor Emelianenko looked liekly to be cancelled.

This has now been cancelled, and a fight between Josh Barnett and Andre Arlovski has been announced. Whilst this fight is not quite on the same level as a Fedor/Arlovski fight, it still has a great deal of pulling power for fans.

The fight will headline the Affliction 2 card, which takes place on October 11th.

WEC 35 Results

2008-08-04T19:49:00.004+01:00

Here is how last night's WEC 35 played out:

Scott Jorgensen vs Kenji Osawa - Jorgensen wins via Unanimous Decision
Mike Budnik vs Greg McInyre - Mike Budnik wins via 3rd round submission (Triangle Choke)
Todd Moore vs Shane Roller - Shane Roller wins via 1st round submission (Guillotine Choke)
Blas Avena vs Dave Terrell - Blas Avena wins via 1st round TKO
Brock Larson vs Carlo Prater - Brock Larson wins via 1st round TKO
Josh Grispi vs Micah Miller - Josh Grispi wins via 1st round TKO
Brian Bowles vs Damcio Page - Brian Bowles wins via 1st round submission (Guillotine Choke)
Jamie Varner vs Marcus Hicks (Lightweight Title Bout) Jamie Varner wins via 1st round TKO and Retains Lightweight Title
Brian Stann vs Steve Cantwell (Light Heavyweight Title) - Steve Cantwell wins via 2nd round TKO and is the new Light Heavyweight Champion
Carlos Condit vs Hiromitsu Miura (Welterweight Title) - Carlos Condit wins via 4th round TKO and Retains Welterweight Title

WEC 35 Tonight

2008-08-03T21:32:00.003+01:00

WEC 35 takes place tonight. Here is the line up for the event. I will post the results here as soon as I can (time difference and lack of live feed causes problems for live updates at the moment, sorry)

Scott Jorgensen vs Kenji Osawa

Mike Budnik vs Greg McInyre

Todd Moore vs Shane Roller

Blas Avena vs Dave Terrell

Brock Larson vs Carlo Prater

Josh Grispi vs Micah Miller

Brian Bowles vs Damcio Page

Jamie Varner vs Marcus Hicks (Lightweight Title Bout)

Brian Stann vs Steve Cantwell (Light Heavyweight Title)

Carlos Condit vs Hiromitsu Miura (Welterweight Title)

Wanderlei Silva To Return In December

2008-08-03T21:27:00.003+01:00

According to an interview on Tagg radio, Wanderlei Silva is perparing to fight again in December this year.

Wanderlei is currently coming off a win against Keith Jardine, where he finished Jardine by knockout in the opening seconds of the first round. No opponent has been named yet, but Wanderlei is in talks with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to find him one.

Quinton Jackson is just one of the names rumored to be under consideration, although whether Jackson's mental state will allow him to fight so soon is still in question. Silva says that he doesn't care who he fights, "I'll fight everybody!" he said

RUMOR: Lister - Leites Off Fight Night 15 Card

2008-08-02T15:33:00.003+01:00

A reported bout between Dean Lister and Thales Leites has been cancelled before it was signed.

Lister has suffered a slight knee injury, and whilst this is not serious enough to require surgery or an excessively long recovery time, his management team have decided to pull him from the fight. They feel that it would disrupt his training and not allow him to get the necessary training from his camp at the current time.

The bout may be scheduled again in the future, once Lister's knee has been given chance to heal.

RUMOR: Arlovski - Fedor Off Due To Injury

2008-08-02T15:29:00.003+01:00

The rumored fight between Andre Arlovski and Fedor Emelianenko looks to be offf the card for October's Affliction 2 card.

Fedor is reportedly suffering from a hand injury which will make it impossible for him to be ready in time for the event. It is not yet known whether Fedor will have surgery to correct the problem.

Affliction are rumored to be trying to secure Josh Barnett to create a Arlovski - Barnett replacement fight.

New Bout Added To Fight Night 15

2008-08-02T15:26:00.003+01:00

The UFC have recently announced that Drew McFedries will fight at Fight Night 15 in September.

His opponent will be UFC newcomer and former IFL fighter Mike Massenzio. Massenzio currently holds a record of 10-2.

Fight Night 15 takes place in Omaha, Nebraska on 17th September, and features a co main event of Nate Diaz versus Josh Neer, and Mac Danzig versus Clay Guida.

Lindland - Belfort Fight For Title

2008-08-02T15:22:00.003+01:00

Matt Lindland and Vitor Belfort have recently announced that they will meet at the next Affliction event to fight for the Middleweight Title.

The event, scheduled for the 11th October, currently has no title fight, so the creation of this bout and this belt could see the pair headlining the event.

We will bring more news on this as it breaks.

RUMOR: Final Bout Added To UFC 88

2008-08-01T18:45:00.002+01:00

The UFC are expected to announce a fight between Nate Marquardt and Martin Kampmann at UFC 88.

This fight will complete the card, headlined by Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans. This is expected to be an exciting fight between the two middleweight contenders.

Marquardt is currently coming off a controversial loss to Thales Leites due to point deductions, and will be looking to put himself back into title contention,

Martin Kampmann is currently on a four fight winning streak. A win here could put him in line for a title shot.

Strikeforce Announce Playboy Mansion Card

2008-08-01T18:40:00.003+01:00

Rumors have been spread these past few months about Strikeforce holding a second event at the Playboy Mansion, and today that rumor has been confirmed.

The event, entitled "Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion 2" will take place on September 20th. No other details have been announced for the event, although it is rumored that Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson may headline the card.

We will bring you more updates on this event as we hear them.

WEC Sign Featherweight John Franchi

2008-08-01T18:32:00.003+01:00

The WEC have recently signed New York based featherweight John Franchi.

Franchi is undefeated with a record of 4-0, with his most recent win coming against Frank Latina in the IFL in May.

Franchi will take on Jose Aldo in his WEC debut next month. He trains with Bomb Squad MMA in New York, and is the training partner of Jon Jones, who was recently signed by the UFC.

Jesse Taylor Dropped From The UFC

2008-07-31T16:36:00.002+01:00

The Ultimate Fighter 7 caniddate Jesse Taylor has been dropped from the UFC this week, following an outburst on a radio station regarding Quinton Jackson's current state.

Taylor had a huge outburst during the filming of the Ultimate Fighter 7, where he terrorized staff and customers at a Palace Casino and caused damage to a limousine. Resulting from this, Taylor was dropped from the show and told to sort himself out, before he would be allowed another chance.

Taylor fought at the last Fight Night, losing to C.B. Dollaway. He had spoken to Dana White and told him he was back on track and had started to attend AA meetings. There has since been doubts raised to Dana regarding these claims, and how much he has actually changed.

Taylor then was interviewed for a radio station and made the following comment Oh yeah, it's a big double standard, I'm sure if I were the ex-middleweight champion, I could get away with stuff. I'm sure if I would have done (what Jackson did), I'd be banned."

The UFC have now confirmed that they have dropped Taylor from their roster.

RUMOR: Quinton Jackson Fires Ibarra

2008-07-30T23:38:00.005+01:00

Quinton Jackson has recently suffered an endless barrage of tough tests, resulting in his arrest for reckless driving and subsequent admission to a hospital for a mental evaluation.

In an interview at http://www.si.com/ It has now been suggested that his long time trainer and friend Juanito Ibarra is no longer his trainer, which, according to an anonymous friend, was prompted by an issue over money.

This friend also stated that Quinton is slowly recovering from his problems, and that, should all continue to go well, the UFC is considering finding him an opponent for the November show.

UPDATE: Takaya - Davis Fight Off WEC 35

2008-07-30T23:33:00.002+01:00

Yesterday we reported that Cub Swanson had pulled out of a WEC 35 fight with Hiroyuki Takaya, to be replaced by L.C. Davis (see here for original story http://mmatrivia.blogspot.com/2008/07/cub-swanson-out-of-wec-fight.html)

We have now learned that this fight has not been signed, as Takaya refused to accept the replacement. The fight has now been pulled from the event.

Medical Suspensions issued for Affliction Fighters

2008-07-30T23:29:00.002+01:00

California State Althletic Commission has released the following medical suspensions to fighters in the aftermath of last weekend's Affliction: Banned event:

Fedor Emelianenko - Suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days due to a right-hand injury (can be cleared early by an orthopedic doctor)
Tim Sylvia - Suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days due to a left-elbow injury (can be cleared early by an orthopedic doctor)
Ben Rothwell - Suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to an ear-lobe laceration (can be cleared early by a doctor); minimum suspension of 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Edwin Dewees - Suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days due to undisclosed reasons (can be cleared early by an orthopedic doctor); minimum suspension of 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Pedro Rizzo - Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Mike Whitehead - Suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days due to a left-hand injury (can be cleared early by an orthopedic doctor)
Vitor Belfort - Suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days due to undisclosed reasons (can be cleared early by an orthopedic doctor)
Terry Martin - Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Fabio Nascimento - Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons

Suspensions handed down for Elite XC Fighters

2008-07-30T23:18:00.003+01:00

California State Athletic Commission have released the following medical suspensions issued to fighters in the aftermath of last weekend's Elite XC Saturday Night Fights:

Robbie Lawler - Suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to skull laceration
Scott Smith (lost to Robbie Lawler): Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Thomas Denny - Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Marlon Mathias - Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Shayna Baszler - Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Justin Eilers - Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Travis Galbraith - Suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days due to a possible broken rib (can be cleared early by a doctor); minimum suspension of 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Wilson Reis - Suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to skull laceration
Mike Cook- Suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to right lateral knee injury; minimum suspension of 45 days with no contact for 30 days for precautionary reasons
Drew Montgomery -Suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to a left-eye-area laceration
Brandon Tarn - Suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days due to a forehead laceration

Aleksander Emelianenko Expected To Fight At Affliction 2

2008-07-30T17:42:00.002+01:00

Aleksander Emelianenko was pulled from the recent Affliction: Banned card due to "not meeting licensing requirements" of California State Athletic Commission.

Since then, rumors have circulated that Aleks had contracted Hepatitis B, and may never be licensed to fight in the U.S.A again.

In a recent video interview with a Russian website, Aleksander has dismissed these claims, stating that he was unable to receive his license to fight due to timing issues. Emelianenko was due to be given his medical and drug tests in California on the 13th June, but his visa was not issued until the 14th. He arrived in California on the 15th, but the California State Athletic Commission refused to license him as he didn't turn up at the correct time.

Aleksander expects to be able to compete at Affliction 2.

James Irvin Test Positive For Two Banned Substances

2008-07-30T02:18:00.004+01:00

In the aftermath of his loss to Anderson Silva, James Irvin has tested positive for two banned substances - Oxymorphone and Methdone.

Oxymorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic, which is a prescribed medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. Methadone is a drug which is often used to treat people who have been addicted to narcotics such as heroin, but can also be prescribed as a painkiller.

Nevada State Athletic Commission has not issued a fine or suspension yet, as their rules state that Irvin has 20 days to submit an appeal. If his test results are upheld, he will face a suspension of 6-12 months and a fine of anything up to the full amount of his purse.

Justin Levens Tests Positive For Banned Substance

2008-07-30T02:11:00.002+01:00

Justin Levens has reportedly tested positive for the drug oxymorphone in the aftermath of the Affliction: Banned fight card.

Levens was scheduled to fight Ray Lazama, but due to time constraints, the bout did not go ahead.

Oxymorphone is a semi-synthetic opioid analgesic, which is a prescribed medication used to treat moderate to severe pain. The levels of this substance in his blood stream were 10,141 ng/ml, way above the California State Athletic Commission's cut off limit of 120ng/ml.

Levens has been issued with a $1000 dollar fine and is suspended for six months, until January 15th 2009.